Sleep 101

SLEEP 101: What is Sleep?

Sleep is essential to your body’s overall wellness, both physically and emotionally. It is as vital to your health as food and water. During sleep, your vital organs, muscles, nerves, and brain rest and rejuvenate. Without healthy sleep our bodies slowly shut down, causing fatigue, impaired memory and emotional instability.

Today, our society is full of deadlines, meetings and extra-curricular commitments so we find ourselves operating on a perpetual sleep deficit. While we hope that our bodies will adjust to a lack of sleep, science tells us differently. Consequently, our bodies react in the way of sluggishness, memory loss, poor judgment and impaired functionality. Emotional and physical health can also be affected, manifesting in high blood pressure, mood disorders and strained relationships.

Nourishing sleep is good for your body and mind. When you receive the most out of every hour you sleep, you receive more out of every hour you’re awake. Learn more about sleep, the impact of poor sleep and how to ensure a better nights rest.

Normal Sleep and REM SleepDid you know sleep is actually an active and organized process? Normal sleep for each individual is defined by various factors and stages of sleep, not to mention our internal biological clock. During sleep is a stage known as Rapid Eye Movement, or REM, sleep. It is an essential stage of sleep where there is a high brain activity, physical immobility and can be attributed to memory and learning.

Poor Sleep and InsomniaContributing to poor sleep are a variety of factors, ranging from stress and other lifestyle factors to health problems, physical issues or insomnia.

Kids and SleepMost experts agree that most kids need 10 to 11 hours sleep each night, and while some kids need more than others, the long-term benefits to their health and well-being must be recognized.

Sleep TipsFor many individuals, tossing, turning and struggling to get to sleep or waking up tired can be overcome when you learn some techniques and habits that can lead to better sleep.